Which Doctrines Are Required for Salvation? Greg Kaidannek “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”— I Corinthians 3:11
T hroughout history, great builders have understood that everything de- pends on the foundation. Without it, even the most beautiful structure will eventually shift, crack, or col- lapse. Before a single wall is raised, the ground must be examined careful- ly. Engineers and surveyors test the soil, measure its strength, and en- sure it can bear the full weight of the building. They know the entire project literally rises or falls on this one factor. Christianity is no different. Quali - fication for eternal life depends on whether we have taken the time to build upon the proper foundation. There is only one sure foundation— Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 3:11 records: For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:24–25, Jesus stated: Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock… and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Having been a carpenter, Christ knew the importance of building on
solid bedrock. The Greek word for “founded” means to lay a basis for, to settle, to establish. A good builder knows that the ground where he is building must be firm before con - struction begins. The same is true of all those whom God calls to His spiritual building. [We] must have a rock-solid grasp of all of God’s doctrines. In the same passage, Jesus also gave a warning (verses 26–27): But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand… and great was its fall. Christians cannot build their lives partly on God’s Word—bedrock— and partly on their opinions—sand. Doing so creates instability and imbalance. If not corrected, those foundational weaknesses will even- tually lead to collapse. We must build on the right founda- tion by doing what Christ said—His doctrines.
This raises the question: what is doc- trine? The word doctrine through- out the Bible means “teachings” (Hebrew and Greek). So God’s doc- trines are His teachings. The Bible is literally a teaching book—our source of instruction for how to live. Are some biblical teachings more important than others? Are some required for salvation while others are not? Every Word Counts Picture a buffet line. People select what appeals to them and skip what doesn’t. Many treat God’s truth the same way—choosing the doctrines they like and ignoring the rest. But true Christianity is not a doctrinal buffet. Statements such as “we be - lieve all the core doctrines” may sound sincere but can create a false sense of security if one is not care- ful. Selecting only a few “funda- mental” doctrines as essential for salvation can be spiritually danger- ous. God’s people must not decide which truths matter most.
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